Lakewood's Population Grew Between 2019 And 2020: Census

LAKEWOOD, OH — Between 2010 and 2020, Lakewood saw a slight dip in its population, but recent trends suggest the city is growing again.

The U.S. Census Bureau released its latest batch of data for the 2020 survey. In the analysis, Lakewood added more than 1,000 new residents between 2019 and 2020.

In April 2019, the census estimated Lakewood's population at 49,678. By 2020, the city's population was up to 50,942, inching closer to the 2010 high of 52,131 residents.

While Lakewood's population may be growing, Cuyahoga County's overall population is dipping. Over the past 10 years, the county has lost more than 15,000 residents.

Read more: 5 Takeaways From The Release Of 2020 Census Data: AP Explainer

"Many counties within metro areas saw growth, especially those in the south and west. However, as we've been seeing in our annual population estimates, our nation is growing slower than it used to," said Marc Perry, a senior demographer at the Census Bureau. "This decline is evident at the local level where around 52% of the counties in the United States saw their 2020 Census populations decrease from their 2010 Census populations."

The housing growth rate slowed between 2010 and 2020, the result of a hangover from the 2008 housing bust. The total number of housing units in the U.S. grew by 6.7% over the decade — about half the rate of growth during the previous decade.

As Northeast Ohio continues to experience an unusually hot housing market, Census data provides a partial explanation. There are simply fewer housing units available. Between 2010 and 2020, the county lost 5,938 housing units, approximately 1 percent of its total stock. The data suggests 9.7 percent of the county's stock is currently vacant.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this report.